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A new restaurant built around community is gearing up to open in early to mid-September in Katonah.

The Whitlock Restaurant,
in the space formerly occupied by Willy Nick's, promises an ode to a village that literally lifted its roots to preserve the heart of its identity.

"In the early 1800s, merchants John Burr Whitlock and Squire Wood created the region’s very first businesses – a general store, tavern and mill – appropriately named Wood & Whitlock," reads the restaurant's Facebook post. "And Whitlockville was born.

"The sense of community that was created was so vital that the settlement grew and shifted several times in the 19th century until New York City condemned the land to construct reservoirs along the Croton and Cross Rivers. Residents were forced to lift their homes from their foundations and transplant their families to what we now know as Katonah."

The impact of their creation is what the new restaurant will honor -- "a meeting place in the heart of town to gather family and friends for good food and spirits."

Continuing along that legacy of community, The Whitlock will support local farms, purveyors, and businesses to bring diners a hyperlocal and authentic experience.

The restaurant, at 17 Katonah Ave., will be operated by Christina and Matthew Safarowic, Dobbs Ferry residents who met while working at The Cookery in 2010. Matt, who grew up in Yorktown Heights, is the chef and Christina, a Yonkers native, will manage the bar program. The two will be moving to Bedford Hills next month.

The menu will be American fare, locally sourced when possible, said Christina. Visit
www.thewhitlockny.com/
for more information.